Uber Targets Thousands of Robotaxis by 2027, but Waymo Got There First

Uber has set its sights on thousands of robotaxis by 2027, InsideEVs reports. That's the company's target for self-driving cars ferrying passengers on its platform. It's an ambitious number, and it comes with a built-in deadline.

Waymo doesn't need a deadline. According to InsideEVs, the Alphabet-owned outfit is already running at the scale Uber is promising for 2027. So while Uber talks about a future fleet, its rival is describing a fleet that exists right now.

That contrast is the whole story. Uber's playbook has been partnering with autonomous vehicle developers rather than building the tech itself, while Waymo has spent years putting its own driverless cars on real streets. One is chasing volume, the other is reporting it.

The 2027 date gives Uber roughly two years to turn an ambition into a count. Whether the number lands depends on how fast its partners can scale hardware, and on regulators in the markets where it wants to deploy.

For riders, the practical question is who shows up first in their city with a car and no driver. Waymo is already answering that question in its markets. Uber is promising to answer it by 2027.